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World of Warcraft Race Profiles

If you're gonna play with the big boys in Azeroth, you'd better know the teams.

So you can't wait to get your hands on World of Warcraft, huh? Well, wait one second my friend. Azeroth, you see, is a pretty complicated place. Everything that goes on in the world is colored and affected by the war between the Alliance and the Horde. What's that you say? You don't know who the Alliance and the Horde are, either? Wow, you really are new to this!

Well, to get you started we've put together a series of documents that'll let you know who the big players are, who their enemies are, and what their basic agendas are -- along with a few hints about what classes and powers are available to each of the major races. That way you'll know better than to play an Undead and start asking when you get to take a trip to Stormwind (short answer: you don't). There's also a general background for the World of Warcraft here in the Codex Azeroth.

The Humans

Ah, Humans. The Humans of Azeroth are a proud, tenacious race. They seek to be noble, but the horrors of centuries of unceasing war have made them bitter, angry, and intolerant. They were the backbone of the resistance against the Orcish Horde that fought for generations against the Grand Alliance. Unfortunately, just when they thought the war had been won and peace returned, an even darker shadow covered the land. The Undead Scourge unleashed a plague on humanity and succeeded in destroying in the northern Human Kingdom of Lordaeron. Most who survived fled south to the protection of the last great Human city, Stormwind (though a few remain in the Undead lands as the fanatical Scarlet Crusade). The Undead weren't the true threat, though; they were merely a feint, a prelude to the invasion of the demonic Burning Legion. It was the strength of humanity that helped turn that tide.

Nearly four years later, the defenders of Stormwind stand vigilant against any who threaten their lands. The child-king Anduin Wrynn rules the people of Stormwind, who remain steadfast in their commitment to the Grand Alliance. Backed by their stalwart allies, the armies of Stormwind have been called away to once again fight the savage Horde on distant battlefields. With the armies gone, the defense of Stormwind now falls to its proud citizens. Unfortunately, for all the pride and determination, the Humans are a dying race, and it remains to be seen if, for all their passion, they will rescue themselves from extinction.

Humans, as is common in RPGs, tend to be middle-of-the-road in terms of statistics and abilities. They have no hunter class, but this more than made up for with the paladin class who ably combine the tank abilities of a warrior class with the spell-casting and healing abilities of a priest. They're also the only Alliance race that offers six different classes to choose from. In addition to paladins, Humans can also be rogues, warlocks, mages, warriors, and priests. Their paranoia also extends to members of their own Alliance. Human quest lines don't cross over into other races much, making the Human an excellent starting race for new players who just want to get their feet wet before committing to one side or the other in the war and offering great replay value when you start a new character.